Delegates from the two ministries of public security pose for a group photo at the conference. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The ministries of public security of Việt Nam and Laos will study the expansion of stations with dual functions of traffic control and drug crime prevention in border provinces between the two countries.

The two ministries held a bilateral ministerial conference in Hà Nội on Monday discussing how to prevent and control drugs and crimes, and maintain social order and safety.

According to the statistics revealed at the conference, after three years of implementing cooperation mechanisms, from July 2021 to June 2024, police across ten Vietnamese provinces bordering Laos detected approximately 14,130 drug cases with more than 19,960 defendants involved, seizing nearly 2,000kg of various types of drugs, over three million synthetic drug pills and nearly 3,450 opium plants.

Lao authorities have investigated, detected and cracked down on nearly 15,860 drug cases, arrested 23,458 defendants, including 560 foreigners. They also seized more than 158.9 million synthetic drug pills, equivalent to about 15.9 tonnes, 12.5 tonnes of crystal meth, 26.6 tonnes of marijuana, 1.7 tonnes of heroin, 1.8 tonnes of opium, over 9,830 ecstasy pills, 3.6 tonnes of ketamine and 6.8kg of cocaine.

Since 2022, the police forces of the two countries coordinated to fight against 13 drug trafficking cases.

The Việt Nam and Laos’ ministries of public security have completed the hotline network at four levels (ministry, province, district and commune) between the two, which serves as an important focal point in implementing drug prevention and control coordination activities between the functional forces of the two countries.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long said transnational crime, especially drug-related crime, is a common global problem, causing negative consequences to all aspects of economic and social life of each country.

Việt Nam and Laos are both under pressure and following the COVID-19 pandemic, the activities of criminal networks and organisations related to the two countries are on the rise. Criminals are increasingly using diverse ways to carry out drug and commit economic crimes, smuggling and online fraud, he said.

The fight against drugs and transnational crimes of the two countries has been increasingly fierce, requiring the authorities of each country to coordinate closely and deploy appropriate solutions in the short and long terms, he said.

He noted that Việt Nam-Laos cooperation in drug prevention and control was established early. The two ministries have so far organised 12 bilateral conferences on crime prevention and control cooperation and 21 bilateral others on drug prevention and control. Many important documents have been signed and approved, including the Memorandum of Understanding on drug prevention and control cooperation signed on August 9, 2021.

The two sides have overcome difficulties in terms of conditions, weather and terrain to complete the construction of 244 police headquarters in border villages, key drug-related areas and the People's Public Security Political Academy to ensure security in border areas and enhance the capacity of the Lao police force, he said.

He emphasised that crime development on the Việt Nam- Laos border remains complicated with more sophisticated tricks, citing that growing plants containing narcotics is still reported in some areas bordering the two countries while the management of precursor chemicals has many loopholes and limitations.

“These are worrying signs, requiring the two ministries to continue to promote cooperation,” the Deputy PM said.

At the conference, the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Lao Ministry of Public Security signed the Minutes of Cooperation in Crime Prevention and Control, Maintaining Social Order and Safety and the Memorandum of Understanding on Drug Prevention and Control. — VNS